Mail elevator



D. A. DORAN MAIL ELEVATOR Jul 15, 1924.

Filed May 26, 1920 2 Sheet$-Sheeb Y I gwuewl'oz Dame! /Z Dora D. A. DORAN MAIL ELEVATOR Jul 15, .1924. 1501,52!)

Filed May :26 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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Patented Jun 15, 1924.

, DANIEL. 130mm or Ycmznnssnnw em...

A D E i ates Application filed May 26,

Yonkers;- in the county of Westchester anda State ot Ne'w Yorkyhave invented certain new .andiuseful- Improvements in Mail vator's;o-f which-the "following i's a specifica tiongnsuch as will enable those skilled in the. art 'to-which it-appertains to make'andlu'se' the same.

This-invention relatesto apparatus for tubular shaft orrunway which issoicon structed-as topermit-of the passage of a mail box therethrough around corners-- or anglesand curvatures formed .in said tubular shaft; a further object of the/invention being. to provide an improved 'meanslfor raising and lowering a mail box in" a tubular shaft; a still.furtherobjectbeing toxprovide means yror; automatically stopping; the. mail box "or" the means. i for operating 'the samewhen the" mail box reaches its ex: treme lowest and highest position; and with these and other objects in 'view the invention consists in an apparatus of the class and for the purpose specifiedwhich'iis simplein construction and operation and effir cient jn use, and which is constructedx'and operated as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention described and claimedhereinxis an, improvement on that: described and claimed in a prior application'filed by me Sept. ee; 1919, Serial na 1327 169"; and is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts .of my improvement are designated suitable referencecharactersiin each of t e views, and. in which: V

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating one'use of my improved" apparatus with 192 c. serial no; c eases:

parts: ofithe-constfructi'on broken awayfjantl :zzg. 5w. 2' a' secti'onal detail: view" on'gthe lihe 2 o 1 1 1;; J; :l.

Fig. 3- athagrammatic vie-Wot theelectric circuitemployed; i 4* a-View 'similanto "Fig? 1' "but how;

ingfonly apart of theconsti'uctibn on en larged scale-and? withijcrirt'ai-n other eta 1s of constructibniInot= shown in Fi 1 Fig: 6a partial section on the line *6 6 of Fig 8 a transverse-sectional view {of thetubular shaftor runway which I mpleyi and indicating {a plan viewof a mail bbx and itsrelative'positionin"said shaft.

In Figs, 1 and flofwthedrawingjI' have shown at 10 a casing or--1 -'ame-vvqrk which-"is preferably mounted at a "predetermmed point on theground floor of a buildinggand which in the construction shown-is sub divided into three' -sections" 11"," '12 and '13 on the top of whiclifare mounted tubularfshafts or runways 14, 15 and"1'6i- 3 Theseparat'e compartmentsjll, 12-and is are provided-0n the" outen face thereof-and adj acent' to the top portion thereof: with elongated apertures 17 through which. mail may be passetl into mail boxes- 18 j whi'ch" are nornially'jmounted 1 within the compartments 11,1112 and 1-3 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig; l aiidshown I forward of and'above the compartments 11,

12 and '13 and in order to pro'vide" for su ch cases,it"is necessaryi'to form angular or-el 10o bow portionsasshown atl in Fig. 1 in the shaftior runway, or to: provide curved" and twisted portions therein 'as is shOWnat-QO in said figurein the operation of passin around. a corner-, or 'to*f0r'm gradual curve figure. The angular or elbow-shaped porsaid shafts or runways with door openings 23 adapted to be closed by doors 24, and one of said door openings and doors is indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing,

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown only one of the tubularshafts or runways complete, namely, the shaft or runway 15, and mounted on the top portion of said shaft is a frame member 25 having a shaft 26 which passes longitudinally therethrough and to the central portion of which is secured a gear. 27 which meshes with a gear 28 on the shaft 29 of a motor 30 mounted in connection. with the frame member 25. Mounted on the shaft 26 at theopposite sides of the gear 27 are springs 31 and 32, one end of each of which is secured to the shaft as shownat 33aiid the other ends of Which are secured to spools 34 and 35 as shown at 36,.which spools are adapted to be rotated by said shaft 26 through the springs 31 and 32 respectively.

Mounted on the spool 34 is a cable 37, the free end portion of which passes downwardly through the shaft 15 and is secured to the bottom of the mailbox 18 within the compartment 12, as indicatedat 38 and this cable passes around a guide pulley 39 at the top portion of the. shaft 15 and around a similar pulley 40 within the compartment 12, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and I shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The cable 37 also passes through eyes 41' at one side ofthe mail box 18, and this serves to gulde the cable in the movement of the mail box shaft 15. From the foregoing itwill beseenthrough the shaft 15. 'Mounted on the spool 35 is a cable which is adapted to pass through the shaft 15 and is secured to the top of the mail box 18 as shown at 43, and said cable passes around a guide pulley 44.at the top of the that in the upward movement ofbthe mail box in the shaft15, the cable 37lisunwound:

from the spool 34 and thecable 42 wound upon the spool 35, and in the downward movement of said mail box,.the cable 37 is rewound upon thespool 34 andthe .cable 42 unwound from the spool 35, and by reason ofthe connection of the spools 34and .35.

withthe drive shaft 26 any slack produced inyth'e. cables or, any tension thereon will. be

taken up by said springs, the springsbeing.

wound in opposite directions to constantly keep the mail box under tension and to prevent free movement thereof in the shaft 15.

Mounted in the upper end portion of the shaft 15 is a transverse rod 45 upon which is mounted two levers 46 and 47 free to oscillate thereon, one end portion of said levers being forked as shown at 48 to engage the separate cables 37 and 42, and the other ends of said levers being provided with contact disks 49 and 50 respectively.

Mounted in'connection with the top portion of the shaft 15 in juxtaposition to the levers 46 and 47 is an insulated plate 51 having two contact members 52 and 53 inconnectionwith which the contact disks 49and 50 are adapted to operate and another contact member 54 is mounted on-the plate 51, or an extension 55 of said plate. The door 24 which is located adjacent to the top portion of the shaft 15 is provided at the top portion thereof with an inwardly directed. arc-shaped segment 56 to which is secured two contact strips 57 and 58, the strip 53 being longer than the strip 57 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The contact strips 57 and 58 are adapted to operate. in connection with the contact member 54, as hereinafter described, and the levers 46 and 47, or the contact disks 49 and 50 thereof, are nor-. mally held in engagement with the contact members 52 and 53 by springs 59.

The mail boxes 18 are preferably box shaped in form, or are composed of side walls 60 jointed by top and bottom members 61 and 62 and the front and back portions of the boxes are open. Mounted in the front and back portions of the mail boxes are transverse retaining rods 63, the central portions of which are bent downwardly to form arc-shaped members 64 which are also bent inwardly to a slight extent as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, and the object of the are shaped members 64 on the rods 63 is to pre vent the accidental displacement of the mail within the box 18 and yet facilitate the op eration of removing such mail therefrom.

The angular arrangement of the members 1 64 Wlll also prevent the passage of mail outwardly through the boxes in the operation of inserting mail thereinto through the aperture 17 in the compartment 12, as will be clearly evident on a consideration of Fig. 5 of the drawing.

In the operation of the apparatus,the shaft 26 is rotated by the motor 30 in opposite directions in order to unwind and rewind the cables 37 and 42 on the separate spools 34 and 35, and in Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have indicated an electric circuit for accomplishing thedesired result, and in said figure I have shown at 65 and 66 two main circuit wires from any suitable source of electrical. supply, the wire 65 being con nected with the motor 30 while the wire 66 the shaft} 15 which isshown complete in the amines s.,.eee ieetai,:.with he c et e nembe 54:.

,w' i HQQtQd .Withlthecontactmemr .Qntabt me {51/ 'Another roiut' Wir "6 is connected w t e o member 53. and the contact plate 58, and two other v circuit wires v69, 1 and 70, are Connected with the contact. jdisks AQHa'nd 1 50 res'pec tiizely, al lwdfllifih tho iiiotor 30L The passage flthecurre t into the m t-M130 through o e of the wires 69+7Q willfca-use said motor to operate in opposite directions It will be apparent on "a" consideration of Fig. 8 that the direction of the curre-ntIor its passage to the motor 30 throughlthewifes.691and viscontrolledthrough the contact plates 57 and 58; the'contactmembers 52 andI53 and the contact disks A9. and 50.

In the normal position'of the Various parts of my improved apparatus and-referring to accompanying drawing, the mail box 18 of sai'd 'shaft is in its lowest position and a knob or'sleeve 71 on the'c'able 371s in engagement withithe lever46 -an1d-is holding such-lever in'itsinoperative' position against the action oflthe spring 59, or with the contact disk 49 of said leverout offengagement with the contact member 352. Thelever 47 is-held in operativeposition by the spring 59.-toclose [the circuit through the contact disk-. -50:-and

contactmember 531 Thelcircuit through the contact ,m'emberhi and-contact plate 57 is alsoblosediby reason of the fact that the door'2eisin its closed position.

With the partsi-n the above describedposition, if jth'e" door 24 .be opened. the contact plate 57 "Willi be moved out of engagement with the contact member 5a and the contact plate 5.8 broiight into engagement'with said member thus closing the circuit to the motor30throughsaid:contacts, the contact disk 50 and.ine1iiberp 53 and: through the wire 70; andtheoioeration of the motor 'wil'lraise the mailbox 18in the shaft 15, as willheap parent In the above 'operationthe cable37- is'unwoundfronrthe spool arena the cable 421iswoundupon thefspool'35r 7 When the mail boX 18 is'about to reach the limit of its upward' movementa knob or sleeve 72,011 the cable 4:2.just above the mail bok 'ltfi operates'in connection Withthe lever 47 to break the circuit to the motor 30 from the contact disli 50fl'and contact member 53.

thus stopping the upwardmovement of the V smailxb'ox fin which i position of said" mailbox thefsame is injjuxtaposition to the door 2 l and dischargefaperture '72 :in'the 'shaft. ;15,".

which apertii feis indicated in Fig. "1 of th drawing;-

Itwvill; be understood that the upward movement" of the niail,;box, as above described, the circuitithroughthe contact disk 49a'nd contact member 52 will-be closedby" reason ofithe downward movement of the linob 171,. and. in the operation of closingjthe door Zethe circuitwigll again be completed througlrthe' contact member 514 and. *disk' 57 thusecompleting. the circuit to the" motor 50 through thewire 69, and ,the above.operation ofithe spools'will be reversed and, the mail boxfl8i will be movedzdownwardly. The downward movement of said mail box will lie-stopped by, the engagement of the knob or sleeve/:71 with, the lever ,46 to, break the circuitithrough the contact disk 49 and contactjniembeif 572 thus, returnnig, the various partsofthe' apparatus to their normal position. ,1

It will-be understood that each of theother shaftsj 14 and 16 {will be provided at theftopfthereof with the frame member 25. and thefvarious parts connected therewith as is shown in connection with the shaft 15- and thelmaihboxes in the compartments 11 and l3 fwillbe automatically raised and loweredinthe same manner as the operation oflthe mailbox. 18 in the compartment 12 and sl 'aft.l5.{ In other words, each shaft constitutes aseparateunit having a separate motor and electric circuit which is automaticallvcontrolled by the. opening and: closing ofa door which communicates with the top portion of the shaft of such unit. i

i It will also be apparent thatI may employ any number "oftubular shafts or runways,

and .jsaid shafts orruiiways may be mounted in the building .as .here nbefore described andZ exten'd to thesepafrate floors of the'buildin and at redetermined oints'ton. such floors and at the front or rear end portion of the I building, and in such manner that the separate,apartmentsof a building maybe vention or sacrificing its advantages.

It will be apparent thatlthe angular or elb o'wsshaped,portions as well as the curved and twisted portions of the shafts. 14 and 16 will be of 1 such dimensions or enlarged to such an extent as to permit of the free passage; offthe'mailboxes therethrou'gh 1n the upward and downward movementsithereof, and'in Fig." 1 of the drawing I have ind1-.

cated ,in dottedrlines the position. of the mail box as it passes through the elbow por tions "19 of the shaft 141 c Having fully described my invention what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1sT i i l. An apparatus of the class described' comprising a tubular shaft a mailereceivin'g compartment at the bottom of said shaft, a

dooratthe top portionof said shaft, a mail box, means involving an electric motor for mechanically moving said mail box upwardly and downwardly through said shaft to bring said mail box in juxtaposition to said door and to said mail receiving compartment, and means whereby the opening and closing of said door will automatically control the circuit to said motor to control the operation of said mechanical means.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a tubular shaft, a mail receiving compartment at the bottom of said shaft, a door at the top portion of said shaft, a mail box, means involving an electric motor for mechanically moving said mail box upwardly and downwardly through said shaft to bring said mailbox in juxtaposition to said door and to said mail receiving compartment, means whereby the opening and closing of said door will automatically con trol the circuit to said motor to control the operation of said mechanical means, and means forstopping the upward and downward movements of said mail box. v

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a tubular shaft, a mail receiving compartment at the bottom of said shaft, a door at the top portion of said shaft, a mail box, means involving an electric motor for mechanically moving said mail box upwardly and downwardly through said shaft to bring said mail box in juxtaposition to said door and to said mail receiving compartment, means whereby the opening and closing of said door will automatically control the circuit to said motor to control-the operation of said me chanical means, and'means for breaking the circuit to said motor to limit the upward and downward movement of said mail box.

4:. An apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, a mail box adapted to pass upwardly and downwardly through said shaft and normally located at the lower endportion thereof, means whereby mail may be placedin' said box when in its normal position, a door at the upper end portion of said shaft and adapted to communicate with said mailbox when in its raised position, means for mechanically raising said mail box in said shaft, means for mechanically lowering said mail box, an electric motor for operating both of said mechanical means, and means for autozmatically controlling the circuit to said motor to control the movement of said mail box. I I

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, a mail box adapted to pass upwardly and downwardly through said shaft and normally located at the lower end portion thereof, means whereby mail may be placed in said box when in its normal position, a door at the upper end portion of said shaft and adapted to communicate with said mail box'when in its raised position, means for mechamcally raising and lowering saidmail box in said shaft an electric motor for operating SiLlClIIlGQJlS, means for automaticall controlling the C11 cuit to said motor to co'ntrolthe movement of said-mail box, two pulleys mounted at the upper end of said shaft, cables mounted onsaid pulleys and-the free ends of which are connected with the'top and bottom of said mail box, and means for rotating said end portion thereof, means whercbv mail may be placed in said box when in its nor mal position, a door at the upper end portion of said shaft and adapted to communicate with said mail box when in its raised position, means for mechanically raising and lowering said mail box in said shaft, an electric motor for operating said means, means for automatically controlling the circuit to said motor to control the movement of said mail box, two pulleys mounted at the upper end of said shaft, cables mounted on said pulleys and the free ends of which are connected with the top and bottom of said mail box, means forrotating said pulleys in opposite directions whereby, said mail box may be mechanically raised and lowered in said shaft, and means whereby the opening and closing of said door will control the circuit to said motor to automatically raise and lower the mail box in said sha 7. An apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, a mail box adapted to pass upwardly and downwardly through said shaft and normally located at the lower end portion thereof, means whereby mail may be placed in said box when in its normal position,'a door at the upper end portion of said shaft and adapted to communicate with said mail box when in its raised position, means for mechanically raising and lowering said mail box in said shaft, an electric motor for operating said means, means for automatically controlling the circuit to said motor to control the movement of said mail box, two pulleys mounted at the upper end of said shaft, cables v mounted on said pulleys and the free ends of which are connected with the top and bottom of said mail box, means for rotating said pulleys in opposite directions whereby said mail box'may be mechanically raised and lowered in said shaft, means whereby the opening and closing of said door will control the circuit to said motor to automatically raise and lower the mail box in said shaft, make and break devices in the circuit to said motor, and means for actuating said devices at the limit of the upward and downward movement of said mail box to break the circuit to said motor.

8. An apparatus of the class described comprising ashaft, a mail box adapted to pass upwardly and downwardly through said shaft and normally located at the lower end portion thereof, means whereby mail may be placed in said box when in its normal position, adoor at the upper end portion of said shaft and adapted to communicate with said mail box when in its raised position, means for mechanically raising and lowering said mail box in said shaft, an electric motor for operating said means, means for automatically controlling the circuit to said motor to control the movement of said mail box, two pulleys mounted at the upper end of said shaft, cables mounted on said pulleys and the free ends of which are connected with the top and bottom of said mail box, means for rotating said pulleys in opposite directions whereby said mail box may be mechanically raised and lowered in said shaft, means whereby the opening and closing of said door will control the circuit to said motor to automatically raise and lower the mail box in said shaft, make and break devices in the circuit to said motor, means for actuating said devices at the limit of the upward and downward movement of said mail box to break the circuit to said motor, and tensional means for tak ing u the slack in said cable.

9. n an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of mail elevator shafts the lower end portions of which are located in juxtaposition and at a predetermined point in a building and the upper end portions of which extend to predetermined points, mail boxes mounted in and adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly through said shafts, mechanical means in each of said shafts for pulling said mail boxes upwardly and downwardly in said shaft, electrical mo tors for operating said mechanical means, doors at the top portions of said shafts, means whereby the opening and closing of said doors will automatically control the circuitto said motors to regulate the operation thereof, and make and break devices in the circuits to said motors for breaking said circuits to limit the upward and; downward movement of said mail boxes in said shafts.

10. A mail elevator apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, a mail box movabl vertically in said shaft, pulleys mounted at the top portion of said shaft, cables 011 said pulleys and connected with said mail box, and means involving an electric motor for rotating said pulleys in oppo site directions through tensional devices to raise and lower the mail box in said shaft.

11. A mail elevator apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, a mail box movable vertically in said shaft, pulleys mounted at the top portion of said shaft, cables on said pulleys and connected with said mail box, means involving an electric motor for rotating said pulleys in opposite directions through tensional devices to raise and lower the mail box in said shaft, and means in the circuit to said motor for automatically controlling the movement of said mail box in said shaft.

12. A mail elevator apparatus of the class described comprising a shaft, a mail box movable vertically in said shaft, pulleys mounted at the top portion of said shaft, cables on said pulleys and connected with said mail box, means involving an electric motor for rotating said pulleys in opposite directions through tensional devices to raise and lower the mail box in said shaft, means in the circuit to said motor for automatically controlling the movement of said mail box in said shaft, and means for automatically stopping the upward and downward movements of said mail box.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name in presence of the subscribing witnesses this 22nd day of May, 1920.

DANIEL A. DORAN; 

